Will Bouma, MPP for Brantford-Brant, announced that the Ontario government is investing $1.5 million through the Regional Development Program, which will help create 124 new jobs, on Friday, April 29.
The announcement comes in conjunction with an investment of more than $25.9 million by Ferrero Canada in Brantford to strengthen the regional manufacturing sector and attract new investments to the local economy while supporting the province’s economic growth.
“From the first day in office, I was most impressed with Ferrero’s commitment to our community” said Brantford-Brant MPP Will Bouma. “World-class products, such as Ferrero Rocher, Nutella and Tic Tac are made right here in Brantford and these products are a part of people’s day-to-day lives throughout Canada and the United States. Seeing Ferrero Canada grow into a world-class innovative advanced manufacturing organization will benefit the entire region.”
“Our government continues to support local manufacturers through targeted investments to help businesses create good local jobs,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “We thank Ferrero Canada for making a significant impact in the Ontario communities where they operate, and for contributing to our province’s dynamic and growing manufacturing sector.”
Ferrero Group is one of the world’s largest confectionary companies, with operations in 50 countries and presence in more than 170 countries.
This investment will help increase local production to meet growing demand across North America and globally. Over the past few years, the company has experiences unprecedented demand for its current portfolio of products and has been able to meet customer and consumer needs by importing from other Ferrero plants. Repatriating this volume will support its continued growth while helping to drive the local economy.
“Ferrero Canada is proud to continue growing in Brantford. This investment brings new jobs to the community and improves efficiencies through increased automation,” said Fabrizio Secco, Managing Director, Industrial Division, Ferrero Canada and Plant Manager for the Brantford facility. “We’re grateful for the continued support of the Province of Ontario. This grant is a tremendous show of confidence and enables us to meet growing consumer demand with locally-made products, while supporting the economic growth of Brantford and its surrounding area.”
Ontario is investing more than $100 million through the Regional Development Program from 2019 to 2023 to support distinct regional priorities and challenges. The program provides cost-shared funding to businesses, municipalities and economic development organizations to help local communities attract investment, diversify their economies, and create jobs.
